The present invention relates to an apparatus for reversing the direction of cigarettes and especially filter-tipped cigarettes.
Generally, filter-tipped cigarettes are manufactured by inserting a filter member of a two-cigarette-filter length between two cigarettes, wrapping a piece of paper applied with paste around the filter member and the ends of the cigarettes, and cutting the filter member at the center to obtain two filter-tipped cigarettes.
In this method of cigarette manufacture, two parallel rows of cigarettes are obtained, one row of cigarettes disposed opposite to the other row of cigarettes. Depending on the requirements from the cigarette storage device at a later stage of processing, it is a common practice to overturn one row of cigarettes so that they are oriented in the same direction as the cigarettes in the other row and then combine them into a single uniform line of cigarettes.
Apparatus is known for changing two lines of cigarettes, disposed in opposite directions, into a single line of cigarettes all oriented in the same direction.
The known equipment has a drum surface cut with a plurality of slots and includes a guide member whereby the cigarettes are made to rise outwardly and stand on one end so as to be perpendicular to the drum axis and then is turned over to make a 180-degree turn.
In this equipment, while the cigarette is being turned, the gravity center of the cigarette moves outwardly, which in turn increases the centrifugal force urging the cigarettes to move outwardly. This somewhat prevents smooth overturning of cigarettes. This tendency has become notable in recent years as the speed of the cigarette making machines increases.